Aaron Elkins

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Aaron Elkins knows a thing or two about human development - he's a forensic anthropologist and a former professor of physical anthropology. But Elkins is no stodgy academic - he's also the bestselling author of the Gideon Oliver crime series. The man knows human remains, and he knows how to make them interesting. He'll stop by the Houston Public Library Central Branch to discuss a peculiar side effect of human evolution in a talk called "The 'Mistakes' of Natural Selection, or Oh, My Aching Back: What Walking on Two Legs Really Costs Us." He'll also sign copies of his latest book, Skull Duggery. 7 p.m. 500 McKinney. For information, visit www.houstonlibrary.org. (For fun, check out the "forensic tidbits" at www.aaronelkins.com/forensictidbits.htm.) Free.
Wed., Sept. 9, 7 p.m., 2009